


Family Bonds

by moonlights_glow



Category: Criminal Minds (US TV)
Genre: Children, F/M, Family Dynamics, Mutual Pining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-17
Updated: 2020-09-17
Packaged: 2021-03-08 02:15:12
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,937
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26518069
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/moonlights_glow/pseuds/moonlights_glow
Summary: Birthday present for my best friend KateSpencer Reid has never really enjoyed Christmas, and (Y/N) (L/N) was not okay with that. She invites him to her family dinner, and the outcome was one no one could have predicted.
Relationships: Spencer Reid/Reader
Kudos: 64





	Family Bonds

“Family is anyone who loves you unconditionally.”

-Anonymous

  
  


You chewed on the side of your thumb as you and your best friend, Spencer Reid, met with the M.E. on your most recent case. The M.E. was explaining the most recent victim’s COD, and it was brutal. After he finished explaining the autopsy, he left you and Reid to look over the body yourself. 

“Hey, you alright?” Spencer asked you. “You keep chewing on the skin around your thumb. You only do that when you’re upset.”

“I’ll be fine,” you said. “Just…” You shuttered. “I need some happy animal videos.” Spencer held the door out of the morgue open for you. “Let’s get back to the station.”

When you and Spencer got back to the run-down police station, you met with the rest of your team in the conference room. 

“What did you find out from the M.E.?” Hotch asked you. 

“Nothing good. All the blood at the scenes makes sense now.” As you were telling Hotch the information you’d learned, Spencer handed you a coffee. “Thanks, Spence,” you said. You took a sip of the crappy police station coffee. 

“What, no coffee for me, Pretty Boy?” Morgan teased. “You’re only getting it for your girlfriend?”

You flipped Derek off as you sipped your coffee. “Hotch, what did you guys learn?”

~

You tapped your pen on the table as you looked over victimology again. Spencer was building the psychological profile while the rest of the team went to look at the new crime scene that was discovered that morning. Your phone started ringing after a while. You glanced at the caller ID. 

“Spence, I’ll be right back,” you said. You walked into the empty breakroom before answering. “Hey, what’s up?”

“So, guess who’s not coming to dinner this year?” your sister, Sarah, told you. You could feel her anger through the phone.

“What? You’ve got to be kidding me! Did she at least say _why_ she’s abandoning tradition?”

“Yeah! She said she wants to go to dinner with her boyfriend. To fucking _Denny’s_.”

“Are you kidding me?”

“No! Mom’s boyfriend is taking her to a shitty diner for Christmas Eve dinner instead of our annual family dinner.”

You groaned. “She knows we hate that man, right?”

“Oh, she knows. She knows.”

You looked out the window of the break room to where Reid was circling areas of the map, his tongue poking out of his mouth and his brows knitted together in concentration. “Hey, would you mind if I invited someone this year?”

“You have a someone?! (Y/N), that’s great! Of course you can bring them! Hey Gil!” Sarah called to her husband.

You laughed and shook your head. “Sarah, I’m gonna get back to work. I promise I’ll be back for dinner, I’ll fight Hotch if he makes me stay.” You hung up and walked back into the room with Reid. 

“Who was that?” Reid asked you, not turning around from his map. 

“My sister. Apparently my mom isn’t coming to our Christmas Eve dinner this year,” you sighed, hopping up onto the table. 

Spencer shrugged. “Christmas has never been a big deal to me,” he said. 

“What?”

“Well, I mean, it was always just, you know, me and my mom. Holidays were never a big deal.”

“Spencer, when was the last time you had a good, home-cooked meal?” He froze with his marker mid-air. “That’s what I thought. Come have dinner with me and my family.”

“(Y/N), I can’t intrude-”

“Spencer, it’s not intruding if I’m inviting you. Intruding would be rolling up to Rossi’s house at 10 pm and being like ‘yo what are you having for dinner?’”

“You better not,” Rossi said, walking into the precinct. The team had snow in their hair and on their clothes. 

“Relax, Rossi,” you said, waving him off. “I’m just telling Reid he shouldn’t feel like he’s a bother if I’m _inviting_ him to have actual food with me and my family on Christmas Eve.” You looked around. “Where’s Hotch and JJ?”

“Controlling the piranhas that are the press,” Prentiss said. “They were all clustered outside the house, even though the snow’s really coming down.”

You shook your head. “It’s a shame these women get reduced down to their killers. I mean, they had lives of their own. They had family, friends. But the press doesn’t care about that. They just care about meeting deadlines and their circulation.”

“That’s why JJ’s here,” Rossi said. “To remind the public that these victims were people, and they deserve respect, not the killer.” He looked over to Reid’s map. “You find anything?”

Reid turned to face the map. “I found his comfort zone, which is a pretty wide area. But, look at this.” He circled a point on the map. “The center. It’s an antique store. The same antique store all the victims visited three days before their murders.”

Morgan pulled out his phone and called Garcia, putting her on speakerphone. “Hey, babygirl, what can you tell me about Millie’s Antique House?”

“Look specifically at employment records, Garcia,” Prentiss said. “Maybe frequent customers.”

“Well, I’ll tell you this,” Garcia said. “Millie’s Antique House doesn’t have many employees. And all of them are women. And as for frequent customers,” you could hear her nails clacking against her keyboard, “it looks like those records aren’t exactly complete. Even if people pay with cards, the records are thrown out after a few months.”

“Well, looks like we’re visiting an antique shop,” you said. “Prentiss, you wanna come with me?”

“Where are you going?” Hotch asked as he and JJ walked into the precinct.

“We think Reid found a lead,” you told him. “It’s an antique shop in the center of the comfort zone.”

“Good. You and Prentiss go, the rest of us will deliver the profile to the police.”

~

“So, you’re going to (Y/N)’s family dinner?” Morgan asked Reid. 

Spencer shrugged. “She didn’t give me much of a choice.”

“Yeah, but you’re meeting her family.”

“Just her sister and her sister’s family.”

“That’s still a big deal, Reid. She hasn’t introduced any of us to her family.”

“Well, we’re closer. We’re best friends.”

“Yeah, except you’re harboring an all-encompassing love for her.”

Spencer’s face flushed red. “We promised not to profile each other, Morgan,” he muttered.

“Is it profiling if you’re obvious about it?”

“I-I am?”

“Relax, kid, I don’t think she knows. She’s too close to you.”

~

“So, you’re inviting Reid to dinner with your family?” Prentiss asked you while you looked around the antique shop. She looked at a mosaic lamp. “Ooh, this is kind of cute.”

“Well, yeah. I feel bad, he doesn’t have family connections like I do, he doesn’t enjoy holidays.” You looked at a rocking chair from the early 1800s. “And he lives alone, he doesn’t get good, home-cooked meals.”

“Well, you live alone, too.”

“But Sarah makes me come over for dinner every few weeks. And she sends me home with leftovers. Spence doesn’t have that. His only family, really, is his mom, and she’s all the way across the country.”

“And the fact you’re in love with him has nothing to do with that?”

“Hello, ladies. How can I help you today?” an elderly woman asked, coming out to the counter from the back room. 

You and Prentiss held up your credentials. “(Y/N) (L/N), Emily Prentiss, FBI. Are you the owner?” you asked the woman. 

“Yes, yes I’m Mildred Gardner.”

“We’d like to ask you a few questions, if you don’t mind.”

“Of-of course,” she said. She lifted the barrier in the counter. “Please, come back to my office.”

“Ma’am, do you have any regulars in the store? Any people that visit more than others?” Prentiss asked her as you followed her back to the office.

“A few.”

“Uh, this would be a man in his late 20s, early 30s,” you described. “He’d have trouble talking to women, especially the younger women. He’d be strange and off-putting, but you couldn’t figure out why. He’d buy small things when he comes in, nothing too expensive. He’d pay in cash.”

The old woman thought for a minute. “I do have a regular like that.” She opened a box on her desk, flipping through various cards. “We keep a record of people who make purchases, in case they need to return something. But I don’t trust computers, I’d rather do things the old-fashioned way. Oh, here it is.” She handed Prentiss the card. “Matthew McKenzie.”

“Thank you, Ms. Gardner,” you said while Prentiss called Garcia. “You were such a big help.”

~ 

With the information from the antique shop owner, you were able to track down the unsub. When you all gathered on the plane, you took your spot on the couch next to Spencer. 

“Finally, Christmas vacation,” you sighed, leaning your head back on the couch. “No more psychopathic killers, no more late nights, no more gruesome murders.”

“I know how you feel,” Derek said. “I get to spend two whole weeks with my mom and my sisters. I’m looking forward to that peaceful relaxation. And of course, my mom’s cooking.”

“Jayje, what about you?” you asked. “Looking forward to your time with Will and Henry?”

“Yeah, Will took off too. We get to just relax at home. How rare is that?”

“”Rossi, what about you?” you asked the older man. “What are you doing for Christmas? Any family visits?”

“Oh, hell no,” Rossi said. “I’m going to cherish my alone time.”

“You working on that new book?” Prentiss asked him.

“Or are you working on wife number four?” Derek asked. 

“Okay, I spend _way_ too much time with you people.”

The team laughed and teased Rossi as the jet flew across the country back home.

~  
  


“Yes, Sarah, I’m locking my door now,” you said, pinning your phone between your ear and your shoulder. “I’ll be there in like half an hour, relax. Get a glass of wine or something. No, it’s not too early, it’s Christmas Eve, you’re not going anywhere.” You spotted Spencer standing on the sidewalk, you waved to him. “Yeah, I’ll see you in a bit. Love you.” You hung up your phone and slipped it into your pocket. “Hey, Spence.”

“Hey.”

You unlocked your car before you and Spence walked over. The sky was grey, but there was no snow falling. You and Spencer climbed into your car, falling into a comfortable silence for a while. But then you noticed his leg bouncing. 

“Okay. What’s wrong?” you asked him. 

“I’m just… a little nervous. You’re my best friend, I’m terrified your sister won’t like me.”

“Spencer, Sarah’s gonna love you. You’re very loveable.” You pulled onto your sister’s street and pulled into her driveway. “Come on. Let’s get some eggnog.”

You walked up to your sister’s wreath-decorated door and rang the doorbell. Your sister opened the door and you both squealed, hugging each other. 

“Sarah, this is my friend, Dr. Spencer Reid.”

“Well, it’s nice to meet you, Spencer,” she said. Spencer gave her a small wave. 

“Where’s my little nugget?” you said, slipping around your sister. Your 18-month-old nephew came toddling down the hallway, running straight towards you. “There he is! There’s my Koda!” You scooped him up in your arms and squeezed him, swinging his legs back and forth. He giggled and you adjusted him to rest on your hip. “Spencer, this is Dakota, my youngest nephew. Can you say hi, Koda?”

Dakota waved at Spencer. “Hi.”

Spencer waved back, smiling at the toddler.

“Where are the other two?” you asked your sister. 

“Uh, Danny’s upstairs in his room, El’s coloring in the living room.”

“Is Gil in the kitchen?”

“Yeah. Gil!” she shouted.”(Y/N/N)’s here!”

“Jesus, Sarah,” you said, setting your wiggling nephew down. “You don’t have to yell.”

“Aunt (Y/N)!” your niece, Elizabeth said, running into the hallway. 

“Hey, El!”

Your six-year-old niece hugged your legs and you chuckled, ruffling her hair. 

“Aunt (Y/N), do you wanna see the picture I’m making?”

“Oh, I would love to,” you said. Before you could finish your sentence, she was pulling you away. 

Spencer was left in the hallway with your sister and her husband, who had come from the kitchen covered in flour. 

“Ah, so you’re the famous Spencer Reid,” he said. “I’m Gil.”

“You know, (Y/N) talks about you all the time,” Sarah said. 

Spencer gave a small smile. “She does?”

“Oh, yeah. Constantly. How long have you two been dating?” Gil asked. 

Before Spencer could stutter out an answer, loud thumping came from the stairwell before a young boy not much older than Jack appeared. 

“Is Aunt (Y/N) here?”

“Yeah, Junior, she’s been here for a little while,” Sarah said. “She’s in the den with Ellie. Come on.”

Spencer followed behind Sarah and Gil to the den, where you were laying on the floor with your niece and nephew. Dakota was bringing you all his stuffed animals while El was showing you her drawings. 

“Oh, look at that!” you said. “You even drew me with my badge! You’re so talented, Ellie.”

“Aunt (Y/N)!” the kid Sarah called Junior said, running over to hug you. 

“Hey, Gilly!” You pulled him into a tight hug. “Spence, this is Gilbert Jr.” you told him. “Gilly, this is my friend Spencer.”

“Yeah, hi. Aunt (Y/N), can you come to my school for job day?”

“We have to bring a family member in to talk about their job. And you have a really cool job.”

“Wha- Junior, you don’t want me to come in for job day?”

“No. No offense Dad, but your job isn’t cool. You teach math at a college. Aunt (Y/N) works for the FBI. Her job is awesome.”

You laughed. “My job is pretty awesome. Right, Spence?”

“Yeah, it’s pretty awesome,” Spencer said. “We get to travel all over the country in our own private jet.”

“See?! Do you have any idea how many playground points I’ll get if I bring in Aunt (Y/N)?”

You laughed. “Of course I’ll come, Gilly. I’d love to.”

~

You sat around the table with your family and Spencer, enjoying your sister’s cooking. Spencer sat on your right, and Dakota’s high chair was on your left. He was ripping apart your brother-in-law’s homemade rolls. Your niece went back to the den to watch television. Gilly was telling you about job day.

“Uh, (Y/N),” Sarah interjected. “Can Gil and I talk to you in the kitchen?” You got up and followed your sister to the kitchen. “You’re not gonna tell them _all_ the details of your job, right?”

“Of course not!” You promised. “I haven’t even told _you_ all the details of my job.”

Meanwhile, Gilly and Dakota sat at the table with Spencer. Gilly looked up at him as he took a sip of his drink. 

“Are you Aunt (Y/N)’s boyfriend?”

Spencer coughed on his drink. “What?”

“You look at her the way my dad looks at my mom.”

“Oh, uh, I’m not- we’re not, uh- I don’t know what you’re, um-”

“You _love_ her,” the third-grader said with a sly smile. “You _love_ her! Aunt (Y/N)!”

Spencer was frozen, he had no idea what to do.

“What’s up, kiddo?” you asked as you came back into the room, setting the pie your sister made on the table.

“When am I gonna get an uncle?”

Spencer was stunned. He for sure thought the kid would tell you he was in love with you.

“Excuse me?”

“Junior!”

“No, no, it’s okay Sarah. Uh, I don’t know, Gilly. I work too much to meet anyone.”

“Well, what about Spencer? I mean, you know him, you spend a lot of time with him. We like him.”

You looked at Spencer, whose face was as red as your sister’s Santa Claus tablecloth. 

“Uh, well, that’s not really how those things work, Gilly.”

“Why not? You like him, he likes you-”

“Gilbert, that’s enough,” Sarah snapped. “Go watch TV in the den with your sister.”

“But-”

“Go.” 

“Soooooo,” Gil said, “Pie?”

~

“I’m sorry about Gilly,” you said as you and Spencer walked to your car at the end of the night. “He’s usually not like that, I don’t know what got into him.”

“No, no, it’s alright. It was, um, kind of my fault.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Kids are perceptive, you know.”

“Spencer.” You grabbed his hand and stood in front of him. “What are you talking about?”

“He said I look at you like his dad looks at his mom.”

“Did he say what that look was?”

“He didn’t have to. I knew what he meant.” Spencer’s brown eyes looked into yours, and you felt your face heat up despite the cold. “I’ve been in love with you for a while, (Y/N). And I don’t know if you feel the same, but-”

“Spencer.”

“I’m sorry, I know I’m putting this pressure on you but I just needed to tell-”

You put your hands on the sides of his face and pulled him into a kiss. Spencer wrapped his arms around your waist, pulling you into the kiss. When the two of you broke apart, you rested your forehead against his. 

“That was a nice way to tell me to shut up,” Spencer smiled. 

“You know, I’m kind of surprised you still like me after meeting my family.”

“Guess that just shows you how deep my feelings are.” He kissed you again. 

“You know, this is a great moment, but I’m freezing.” You laughed.


End file.
